In a recent operation detailed by the Holyoke Police Department via social media, law enforcement officers apprehended two individuals and seized three illegal firearms. The action sprang from a response to a call about an allegedly armed gathering of juveniles at an apartment on High Street. When officers arrived on the scene, they were met with a chaotic situation as a crowd of individuals fled the apartment. Holyoke Police Chief Brian Keenan announced the arrests and the recovery of the firearms, which included a 'ghost gun' and a stolen weapon from Vermont, as per the Holyoke Police Department.
Officers Hector Rosado-Burgos and Giovanni Abella approached the address on 679 High Street around 10:10 p.m. last Friday, as reported in the social media statement. In the apartment, Officer Rosado-Burgos caught one of the suspects, Javion Rosa, attempting to hide a gun in a cabinet. A 'Ghost Gun'—a term used to describe a firearm without a serial number—was found loaded with a 16 rounds of ammunition. Rosa, an 18-year-old from Holyoke, now faces multiple charges, including possession of a large capacity firearm and resisting arrest. As the situation escalated, all on-duty Holyoke officers were dispatched to assist at the location.
The sequence of events led to the apprehension of a second individual, Drakarius Yarborough, attempting to enter an occupied apartment. Despite Yarborough's resistance, officers detained him and Detective Ashley Feliciano later discovered a firearm where Yarborough had been arrested. Search of his belongings yielded drug paraphernalia, cash, and a considerable amount of marijuana. Yarborough, a 19-year-old from Northampton, faces charges such as possession with the intent to distribute a Class D drug and assault & battery on a police officer.
Moreover, Officer Johnathan Ortiz played a critical role in securing a third firearm, which was left on a porch and loaded with ammunition—a gun reported as stolen out of Vermont.
